1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the winding of flexible elongate materials, such as slide fastener stringer tapes, slide fastener chains, surface-type fasteners known as hook-and-loop fasteners, belts for garments, and ornamental tapes. More particularly, it relates to a spool for winding thereon a flexible elongate material and also to a method and apparatus for winding a flexible elongate material on such spool.
2. Prior Art
There are known various winding methods and apparatus which comprise a spool for winding thereon a flexible elongate material, the spool being in the form of a cylindrical rod with or without a flange at either end thereof. The known spools have a smooth material-bearing peripheral surface and some of them include a resilient clip generally constituted by a leaf spring, extending axially of the spool and urged against the peripheral surface to hold a leading end of the flexible elongate material.
Winding a flexible elongate material on such known spool needs a manual operation to hold a leading end of the flexible elongate material either by an adhesive or by the clip before the spool is revolved. This manual operation is tedious and time-consuming, thereby lowering the winding efficiency. Furthermore, such manual holding operation can hardly be effected when a relatively narrow elongate material is to be wound on a spool having opposed annular end flanges of a diameter which is considerably large in relation to the distance between the annular end flanges. With the known spool thus constructed, an automated winding of the flexible elongate material is difficult to achieve.